Messages from all over the world are announcing that Sony is currently discontinuing a number of SLR cameras:

• Sony Alpha 580 (from Singapore and other)
• Sony Alpha SLT 33

The most common interpretation of such news is that Sony is preparing a large number of official launches in the coming weeks. Most probably they will organize a blitzkrieg of press releases to wipe out the last memories of bad events following the recent earthquake and tsunami. This should start just before the NAB show in Las Vegas (April 9 to 14).

We expect to see:

• A new Sony Alpha 35 to replace (already) the Alpha 33 with only minor improvements but the same resolution.
• A new NEX-7 with more manual controls aimed at the expert public.
• The Sony Alpha 77 will not come in April, but only at the end of May or early June. But without waiting more, SonyAlphaRumors tells us that the EVF will be based upon a 3-MP OLED display (we already knew in January that it could have “more than 2 MP“).
• The Alpha 580 will not be replaced (the Alpha 77 will be enough to attract the same public at a very similar price point – Interesting, eh?).

But remember one thing. Sony intends to stage this regularly and up to the beginning of Summer.

Always trying to help the YLovePhoto.com visitors, here are the user/operator manuals I could find on the Internet for the Sony Alpha 560 and the Sony Alpha 580.

• English: Sony A560/A580 User Manual
• Français : Manuel utilisateur des Sony A560/A580 (rien encore pour le moment)
• Deutsch: Sony A560/A580 Benutzerhandbuch (Noch nichts gefunden)

If you found another version (maybe in another language) or if you can suggest a change to this list, feel free to leave a comment below.

There are a few little sounds that come from people who know about Sony.

First, and this is no longer a rumour, Sony has delayed the availability of the Sony Alpha 560 until beginning of 2011. The exact date seems a bit unclear (January or later?) and the reason is still unknown (production/manufacturing issues or marketing decisions). For the time being several countries are informed that the pre-orders are canceled and availability is unclear.

Second, a Sony representative from Sweden has been giving an interview to Fotoguiden.se where many people (unfortunately starting with SonyAlphaRumours) are willing to read a lot more than what is said. Anders Ericsson seems not to be a real spokesperson for Sony and tells many things which are presented exactly as if he is thinking aloud about things he does not know about more than most of us.

He says that he does not expect the follower to the Alpha 700 (Alpha 750, Alpha 790 or else) to be announced at the Photokina show. But more importantly, he tries to give views about the future of SLR cameras at Sony, stating that the A560/A580 are the last true SLR cameras at Sony, expecting the semi-transparent mirror solution of the A33 and A55 to be extended to the whole Alpha line.

This would obviously mean giving no successor to the Alpha 700 and A850/A900 products (no serious/expert/pro photographer would accept an Electronic ViewFinder -at least today). This would be a very bold statement for sure, even if Sony is selling many more entry-level cameras than the Alpha 900.

And Mr Ericsson is even giving the reasons why this would be so surprising today:

• The EVF is needed because the semi-transparent (SLT) mirror brings only a little light to the viewfinder.
• The semi-transparent mirror is reducing the light coming to the photo digital sensor, which would be a sin for high-end cameras where extreme sensitivity is becoming a critical decision factor.

In addition, SonyAlphaRumours has shown a set of specs for the next cameras from Sony. I go along with their analysis: This has a very low credibility factor.

Sony A9xx
34.6 MP
100% pentaprism
51 AF point
Center new double cross sensor at f/2.8
8 crosses
18 hidden assist point AF
ISO 100-25600, extended to ISO 50-51200

Sony Axxx
18 MP
19 point AF
Center double cross f2.8
10 fps
New Bionz
ISO 100-25600，extend 50-51200
3.5′ Bravia-class (???) LCD

Sony A750
18 MP CMOS
New BIONZ processor (perhaps twice, but is unlikely)
19-point AF, central cross
Between 10 fps and 12 fps
ISO 100-25600 (expandable to ISO 50-51200)
Full HD Video 1080i
Folding LCD 1.44K
HDR, 3D Panorama
Metal body
Date of announcement: September 12

Most serious observers now exclude the possibility of seeing a real Sony Alpha 750 announced at the Photokina fair in Köln, Germany. Surprisingly, it’s still uncertain whether or not Sony will have a set of preview features or even of prototype under a glass dome.

Everything/everybody points to a January or February 2011 announcement.

• Sony Alpha 33
• Sony Alpha 55
• Sony Alpha 560
• Sony Alpha 580

Features and specific comments

The feature set is quite impressive for cameras supposed to be low-end and mid-range only. Some of the competition is going to feel the heat.

Sony Alpha 33

As expected, this is a Pellix camera (a semi-transparent mirror provides fast AF while in LiveView or in video capture mode). It climbs up to 10 frame/s continuous shooting and is 1080i HD video-capable.

The sensor is the 14MP APS-C CMOS sensor that we have been seeing a lot around here in the recent weeks.

Sony Alpha 55

Same as Sony Alpha 33, but with a larger (16MP) CMOS sensor.

Impressive enough to immediately receive a “Gold Award” from DPreview.

The A55v version (for USA only, apparently) will include a GPS for geo-tagging of photos and videos.

Sony Alpha 560

The A560 is definitely bringing 1080i HD video to the Sony SLR line; From a 14.2 MP CMOS photo sensor.

Specific to the Alpha 560: It will not be available before early 2011.

No GPS, contrary to rumours.

Sony Alpha 580

Same as Sony Alpha 560, but with a larger (16MP) CMOS sensor.

Nearly immediately available.

Pre-orders

B & H

• Sony Alpha 33
• Sony Alpha 55
• Sony Alpha 560
• Sony Alpha 580

• Alpha 33 (a pellix camera with a 14 MP sensor)
• Alpha 55 (a pellix camera with a 16.7 MP sensor, 10 fps, ISO 100-25600, 15-point AF, EVF – all to be confirmed)
• Alpha 560 (with 14MP sensor, 5 fps, ISO 100-12800, 15-point AF, swivel display – near certain feature set)
• Alpha 580 (same as A560, with 16MP sensor)

Note: Pellix is the name usually applied to describe a camera where there is no mobile mirror, but a pellix semi-transparent mirror which is providing a simultaneous and continuous AF while bringing light to the photo/video sensor. For more information about it, see the Wikipedia articles in both English and German. The presence of Pellix should also allow to keep a LiveView operation during the photo/video capture (probably in association with an Electronic View Finder or EVF).

Images of the A55 and A33

Images from DChome

A33/A55 size

What is now certain is that the Alpha 33 and Alpha 55 will be very small indeed. They are smaller than the smallest existing Alpha cameras (the Alpha 290). They are nearly as small as the NEX-5 camera.

Thanks to SonyAlphaRumors, you can see a marketing-based and meaningful size comparison:

As was reported here about a month ago, Canon does not believe that it is necessary to leave the traditional APS-C DSLR format factor to compete with the EVIL cameras. Sony seems to have understood this too. But they decided to provide both the (still?) smaller ones (NEX series) and continuously shrinking ones (Alpha series). It will be interesting to see how this works in the end.

At least, Canon appears right and we can expect to see similar comparisons appearing with Canon bodies of the near future.

Compatible lenses for NEX

Additionally, some companies are rumored to be interested in providing a real competition in terms of lenses for the NEX camera range (Sony will no longer be alone). If Zeiss and Leica are actually present there in a few weeks, it will mean that this NEX camera series will certainly be a huge success, if only because of the large advertisement effort supported by several companies at the same time. However, it is nearly impossible to sort out the good information and the false rumors in what is said from all sides.

• Alpha 33
• Alpha 55
• Alpha 560
• Alpha 580

The first two (Sony Alpha 33 and Alpha 55) would be entry-level cameras able to capture HD video and using the semi-transparent mirror already mentioned here and allowing to maintain autofocus in LiveView and HD video modes.

The next two (Sony Alpha 560 and Alpha 580) would be mid-range cameras announced by Sony in the middle of the beginning of the year. They are also able to grab AVCHD video but with a simpler architecture.

They share the two new CMOS photo sensors from Sony, a 14 MP sensor and a 16 MP sensor, at the heart of the rush for video started with the NEX-VG10 video camera, recently shown to the press (HD video based on the 14 MP sensor). They should all have a DOF preview button, continuous AF during video capture with 15-point AF, panorama stitching, 3D picture capacity, state-of-the-art ISO sensitivity (read “much better than A700”).

PR also tells us that the Alpha 560 has been spotted in Jakarta, but no pictures yet. So, it may still be a false lead.

But then, where is the successor to the Alpha 700? Has Sony decided to step back into the A5x0 range? Or will the A750 be a pre-announcement only?

First, and this is very easy to predict, Sony is ready to add to its NEX range of photo cameras. Already noticed because of the originality of its concept (a very dense point-and-shoot-like body, very simple but able to hold not only the new lenses of the new NEX range, but also compatible with the existing Alpha lenses, to bring light onto an APS-C CMOS digital photo sensor brought in the Alpha SLR range). While NEX was received with an obvious interest, it still needs to prove that it fills the needs of a real public. And this may be easier when a few days before the Photokina show (in September) we will be able to see the new photo camera of the NEX range: The NEX-7, which should capture 1080p video up to 60 frames/s. This should bring it in direct competition with the Panasonic GH2 which is still the best digital video offer among the compact photo cameras.

On top of it, we already know that Sony just presented it NEX-VG10 video camera, which is the pure video solution in the NEX range (again with the same CMOS 14.2 MP digital sensor that Sony seems decided to apply to as many NEX and Alpha cameras as marketingly possible). Available in September (in parallel with the door opening of the Photokina), it will be sold around $2000 (probably a little less than 2000€ on the old E continent).

Of course, Sony will also present (and possibly make immediately available) some new NEX lenses. The one whose name is most often repeated, since the Yodobashi leak in May, is the Sony NEX 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 OSS.

Then, there is no need of a crystal ball to announce that Sony will speak a lot about 3D on the Photokina floor. All the company divisions (video games, movies, video, photography) have been committed to bring active product support to this technology defined as a key target for Sony.

But, will you say, where are the D-SLR here? I kept the finest morsel for this part of the meal I offer you. Sony is preparing a full overhaul of its Alpha range. The A290 and A390 are already here with a 14.2 MP sensor (but only in a-little-outdated CCD technology), here comes the flood. There’s no doubt that the successor of the Sony Alpha 700 is ready. It was nearly official in PMA 2010 (at the beginning of 2010):

I dream of having reliable information about its photo sensor, but it is nearly certain that it won’t be the ubiquitous 14MP CMOS sensor of NEX and A500 series. It will be an APS-C sensor capable of 1080p video capture at 30 fps (at least). Since Sony always repeated that they would never bring a photo camera with a half-thought video section (like some of the competition, they murmur), it will be worth looking into its detailed features. Moreover, I would bet a tidy sum that the camera will be named Alpha 750, even if it appears that A790 was a possibility during the design stage.

The Sony press photo for PMA2010 (above) also gave us an important bit of information: The Sony Alpha 750 will have a little brother also video capable (probably with a resolution limited to 14 MP). The rumor says –curiously enough– that it would be named Alpha 33, and I find this utterly surprising. We’ll see, but in the meantime, you could listen to what the Spanish DSLRmagazine has to say about its supposed semi-transparent mirror used to assist a good autofocus in LiveView mode (traduction française, English translation).

But there is another possibility to take into account. According to Réponses Photo, the French magazine, “Sony give [us] a rendezvous in September for other SLR news, but this time in the expert and pro ranges…” (emphasis is mine). It looks a lot like a leak out of a magazine already informed but held tight by the signing of an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement). It would seem very surprising that anybody knowledgeable would place the Sony Alpha 750 in the “pro” range, it is the “expert” announcement. But, the, here is the last event: A pro camera! The Sony Alpha 900 (and its little brother A850) would prepare itself for a new offspring in the use of an Alpha 950 (no certainty about the name, of course)! And that could be thunderous if they announced (availability in early 2011?) the new 32 MP Full Frame CMOS sensor in association with a new quad-core BIONZ processor (aka Quattro Bionz).

The other option in this part of the product lien would be the arrival of an Alpha 820 (this name is heard in several mouths right now) which would be a new effort to popularize the Alpha 900 after the sub-2000€ Alpha 850. Credibility: Very low in my (not so) humble opinion.

You will have noticed that I did not go heavy on the conditional tense despite the long list of news. Be prepraed to see a Sony showroom of enormous size and density in Köln, next September for the Photokina. Alpha, NEX, 3D, video, Sony is alive and kicking.